Miniature electromagnetic relay

ABSTRACT

A relay having a C-shaped element surrounding a coil winding to provide a magnetic circuit. The magnetic circuit displaces a movable blade carrying an elongated contact having a free extremity disposed in position for contacting rest and working fixed contacts, the fixed contacts being disposed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the relay.

O United States Patent 1 [111 3,711,801 Bloch 1 Jan. 16, 1973 [5 1 MINIATURE ELECTROMAGNETIC 2,755,368 7/1956 Wirtetal ..200/l66C RELAY 3,025,370 3/1962 Grcshel ..335/2()3 3,387,240 6/l968 Koppensteiner.... 335/202 lnvemm' Bloch Strmbmrg 2,275,924 3/1942 Suclcy ass/m rance [73] Assignee: La Telephonie lndustrielle et Comprimary Examiner Ham|d Broome mercial Telic, Strassbourg-Meinau, Atwmey Craig, Antone! and Hi" France [22] Filed: July 20, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl.No.: 164,272

Foreign Application Priority Data July 20, 1970 France U.S. Cl ..335/l96, 200/166 C, 335/187 Int. Cl.

...... ..l-l0lh 47/00 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1966 Scata ..335/203 A relay having a C-shaped element surrounding a coil winding to provide a magnetic circuit. The magnetic circuit displaces a movable blade carrying an elongated contact having a free extremity disposed in position for contacting rest and working fixed contacts, the fixed contacts being disposed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the relay.

13 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures A M/fl 122 5 13s 132 126 PATENTEDJAH 1 6 ms SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR PAUL BLOC H A TORN EYS MINIATURE ELECTROMAGNETIC RELAY The present invention relates to the field of relays comprising a fixed magnetic circuit and a movable blade or contact. It comprises a modification of the arrangement enabling the relay to be used in a prone position instead of the upright position. The applications extend to commutations in general, and in particular to telephony equipment.

The relay in accordance with the present invention is an improvement over a relay which essentially comprises a C shaped magnetic circuit and a blade of magnetic material placed opposite the opening of the C and being capable of being attracted by the said circuit at C when it is excited, this blade being integral with a median zone of a resilient structure of extended form, assembly of lamellae or the like, of which one extremity is kept fixed and the other free extremity takes, in the case of excitation, an elongation enabling a commutation to be effected. The fixed extremities of the elements of the resilient structure constitute the common parts of as many contacts; the mobile extremities ensure a connection either with the rest contacts in the case of nonexcitation of the magnetic circuit, or with the working contacts in case of excitation which draws the said blade to the contact of the edges of the opening of the C shaped circuit.

In the known relay, as described above, the resting and working fixed contacts are placed at the extremities of conductors which, passing through the whole of the relay, leave it in the plane of the fixed extremities of the common parts of the contacts. The normal position of assembly is the upright position.

In the relay in accordance with the present invention, the outputs of the rest and working contacts are in the immediate vicinity of the contacting device. The outputs are constituted by short sleeves which are connected directly to the said contacts, these sleeves being in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the relay.

The result of this is that the normal assembly position of the relay in accordance with the invention, is the recumbant position. This has the advantage of reducing the space required above the assembly. Another very important advantage of the modified relay is a reduction of the cost price due to the following facts:

1. Economy on the price of the component parts; and

2. Reduced assembly costs.

The invention will be described in detail with respect to a preferred embodiment, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. I is a longitudinal section of a relay in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of three quarters starting from one extremity;

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of three quarters starting from the other end; and

FIG. 4 is a view on a larger scale of the contacting device and of the output sleeves.

In the various figures, the same references refer to the same components.

Looking to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the magnetic circuit comprises a first component 1 having a first relatively long part 111, one shorter part 112 curved back at 90 and a third part of intermediate length 113 also bent back at 90 facing part 111. It further comprises a second component 120 also having three parts which are relatively short. One part 121 is fixed, for example by glueing, at 124 to the extremity of part 1 11; one part 122 is bent back at parallel to part 112; and one part 123 is parallel to 1 l 1 in the plane of part 1 l3, leaving an aperture at 125. The whole of the two parts 1 l0 and of the magnetic circuit constitute that which is referred to above as a C shaped structure.

Opposite the opening 125 there is a blade of magnetic material 126 which, in. the nonexcited state of the relay, is slightly bent back from the opening 125, and in the excited state of the relay comes to rest on the edges of the said opening 125. This blade is integral, for example by riveting, with an insulating part 127 which is traversed approximately in its center by a resilient part of elongated shape, for example one or more metal wires 130.

The wire 130 includes an extremity bent back at 90 towards the base 131, one median rectilinear part 132 integral with the said insulating piece 127, and a free extremity 133. The said free extremity 133 can be in communication with a working contact 136 or with a rest contact 135; the contact 135 is in one single piece with an output sleeve which can be seen in outline in the plane of FIG. 1 at 137. The contact 136 is also in one piece with another output sleeve which has its outline also at 137. The rest and working contacts are contained in a block of insulating material 138.

A coil form of insulating material contains a winding 141, the extremities of which are connected to output contact pieces of which one can be seen at 142. The said box 138 is integral with the coil form 140 by any known method, for example glueing.

The rectilinear part 132 of the conductor is integral, in the vicinity of the bent back part 131, with an insulating piece 134 which is wedged in between the part 113 of the magnetic circuit and of the coil form 140.

There will be seen in projection only a single conductor 130 and a single contacting device; however, in reality, there are always a multiplicity of these elements.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the inputs of the relays (common with the contacts 131) and the outputs (restwork contacts 137) are on both sides of the entire structure of the relay whose normal assembly position is the prone position.

The coil form is advantageously molded in one single piece, and the assembly of the pieces 110 and 120 is easily made in two stages, followed by a glueing operation.

It will be seen in FIG. 2 that the extremity of the housing on the side of the contacts comprises a frame 143, preferably molded in one single piece with the coil form 140, in which is mounted and fixed the block of insulating material 138 which contains the fixed contact pieces 135 and 136, and the output sleeves 137. The extremities of the wires 133 pass between the contacts 135 and 136 in the assembled state. The equipped block 138 is fixed in the frame 143 by any known method, for example by glueing, and comprises two shells 138a, 138b preferably assembled by glueing. 139 designates one opening which will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

It will be seen from FIG. 3 that the extremity of the housing of the side of the parts of the contacts comprisesa threaded end-fitting 144, preferably molded in a single piece with the coil form 140. This threaded end-fitting 144 has two slide faces 145 in which can be incorporated an element of a cap (not shown) and a rail 146 carrying notches by which the extremities 131 of the wires 130 can come out. The insulating piece 134 is accommodated in an opening 147 made between the magnetic circuit and the housing. An insulating bar 148 is glued against the part 134 at the right of the curvature of ,the output wires 130. In the example of embodiment shown, the resilient structure is constituted for each contact, by two wires, of the piano type.

The example described comprises four rest-work contacts. It is understood within the scope of the invention that other combinations are possible.

In FIG. 4, the contact pieces such as 135 and136 integral with output sleeves such as 137 respectively are seen on one shell 138a of the block 138, the other upper shell l38b being assumed to be removed. There will be seen at 139 the cutouts ensuring the passage and the play of the extremities of the wires 133 which ensure the rest-work inversion; the output sleeves 137 are identified individually by a, b, h.

The pieces 135, 136 and 137 are preferably cut out in a mixed metallic strip comprising an interior strip of silver and two lateral bands of copper or the like. In this manner, one has the benefit of contacts on precious metals, making one body with sleeves of a common metal much 'less expensive.

The low position of the free extremities 133 of the wires 130 such as shown in FIG. 4, corresponds to the state of rest of the relay. When the relay is excited, the wires take a high position corresponding to the work of the relay.

The following table may be drawn up:

R T Contact No. l c b No. 2 d a No. 3 e h vNo. 4 f g I claim:

1. A miniature electromagnetic relay comprising:

a plurality of fixed rest contacts and work contacts;

an elongated frame of insulating materials having a rectangular cross-section on which there is wound at least one winding;

a C-shaped magnetic circuit element surrounding said winding on one side of said elongated frame and having a gap disposed inside said frame;

at least one common wire contact having an elongated shape and substantially constant cross-section;

means for supporting one end of said common wire contact in cantelever fashion inside said frame adjacent one end of said frame with said one end of said common contact extending out of said frame as a connection portion;

a magnetic armature insulatingly secured solely to said common wire contact at a point between said support means and the other free end of said common wire contact inside said frame,

said magnetic armature being disposed adjacent the gap in said magnetic circuit element and the other free end of said common contact being disposed between at least one rest contact and one work contact, and wherein each of said work contacts comprises an assymmetrical U-shaped portion having a short arm, a transverse arm substantially perpendicular to the short arm and a third arm parallel to and longer than the short arm, and wherein each rest contact is parallel to the longer third arm of the first contact and has one end thereof opposite an end of the short arm of the first U-shaped contact.

2. A miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 1, wherein the end of said common wire contact extending out of said frame is bent at right angles in parallel with said fixed contacts so as to permit connection of the relay in a prone position.

3. A miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 2, wherein said fixed contacts are cut out of a metal composite copper-silver-copper strip, the copper portion providing output leads and the silver portion providing fixed contact parts for said wire contact.

4. A miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 3, wherein said fixed contacts are mounted in said support means made of a block of insulating material having a central opening into which said contacts extend from opposite sides, the other end of said wire contact extending into said opening between said fixed contacts.

5. A miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 4, wherein said magnetic armature is disposed on an insulating movable blade supporting a plurality of wire contacts having free extremities which extend into said opening in said insulating block and said insulating block supports a plurality of pairs of fixed contacts associated with respective wire contacts.

6. A miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 1, wherein said C-shaped magnetic circuit element is formed of two pieces made of magnetic material and secured together by glue.

7. A miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 1,'wherein said winding also includes a coil form upon which said coil is wound, said insulating block being formed integral with said coil form.

8. a miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 1, wherein said fixed contacts are cut out of a metal composite copper-silver-copper strip, the copper portion providing output leads and the silver portion providing fixed contact parts for said wire contact.

9. A miniature electromagnetic relay, according to 7 claim 1, wherein each rest and working contact is a substantially rectilinear tab made of copper and each adjacent end of the rest and working contacts with which said common wire contact comes in contact has a tip portion made of silver alloy.

10. A miniature electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein at least a pair of said U-shaped work contacts has one of the work contacts surrounding the other.

11. A miniature electromagnetic relay according to claim 10, wherein the rest contacts associated with said pair of U-shaped contacts are disposed adjacent each other.

12. A miniature electromagnetic relay according to claim 11, wherein each of two pairs of said U-shaped work contacts has one of the work contacts surrounded by the other and wherein each of the rest contacts associated with each of the work contacts of said pairs are disposed next to each other in a row.

13. A "miniature electromagnetic relay according to claim 12, wherein each rest and working contact is a substantially rectilinear tab made of copper and each 5 adjacent end of the rest and working contacts with which said common wire contact comes in contact has a tip portion made of silver alloy. 

1. A miniature electromagnetic relay comprising: a plurality of fixed rest contacts and work contacts; an elongated frame of insulating materials having a rectangular cross-section on which there is wound at least one winding; a C-shaped magnetic circuit element surrounding said winding on one side of said elongated frame and having a gap disposed inside said frame; at least one common wire contact having an elongated shape and substantially constant cross-section; means for supporting one end of said common wire contact in cantelever fashion inside said frame adjacent one end of said frame with said one end of said common contact extending out of said frame as a connection portion; a magnetic armature insulatingly secured solely to said common wire contact at a point between said support means and the other free end of said common wire contact inside said frame, said magnetic armature being disposed adjacent the gap in said magnetic circuit element and the other free end of said common contact being disposed between at least one rest contact and one work contact, and wherein each of said work contacts comprises an assymmetrical U-shaped portion having a short arm, a transverse arm substantially perpendicular to the short arm and a third arm parallel to and longer than the short arm, and wherein each rest contact is parallel to the longer third arm of the first contact and has one end thereof opposite an end of the short arm of the first U-shaped contact.
 2. A miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 1, wherein the end of said common wire contact extending out of said frame is bent at right angles in parallel with said fixed contacts so as to permit connection of the relay in a prone position.
 3. A miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 2, wherein said fixed contacts are cut out of a metal composite copper-silver-copper strip, the copper portion providing output leads and the silver portion providing fixed contact parts for said wire contact.
 4. A miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 3, wherein said fixed contacts are mounted in said support means made of a block of insulating material having a central opening into which said contacts extend from opposite sides, the other end of said wire contact extending into said opening between said fixed contacts.
 5. A miniatuRe electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 4, wherein said magnetic armature is disposed on an insulating movable blade supporting a plurality of wire contacts having free extremities which extend into said opening in said insulating block and said insulating block supports a plurality of pairs of fixed contacts associated with respective wire contacts.
 6. A miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 1, wherein said C-shaped magnetic circuit element is formed of two pieces made of magnetic material and secured together by glue.
 7. A miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 1, wherein said winding also includes a coil form upon which said coil is wound, said insulating block being formed integral with said coil form.
 8. a miniature electromagnetic relay as defined in claim 1, wherein said fixed contacts are cut out of a metal composite copper-silver-copper strip, the copper portion providing output leads and the silver portion providing fixed contact parts for said wire contact.
 9. A miniature electromagnetic relay, according to claim 1, wherein each rest and working contact is a substantially rectilinear tab made of copper and each adjacent end of the rest and working contacts with which said common wire contact comes in contact has a tip portion made of silver alloy.
 10. A miniature electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein at least a pair of said U-shaped work contacts has one of the work contacts surrounding the other.
 11. A miniature electromagnetic relay according to claim 10, wherein the rest contacts associated with said pair of U-shaped contacts are disposed adjacent each other.
 12. A miniature electromagnetic relay according to claim 11, wherein each of two pairs of said U-shaped work contacts has one of the work contacts surrounded by the other and wherein each of the rest contacts associated with each of the work contacts of said pairs are disposed next to each other in a row.
 13. A miniature electromagnetic relay according to claim 12, wherein each rest and working contact is a substantially rectilinear tab made of copper and each adjacent end of the rest and working contacts with which said common wire contact comes in contact has a tip portion made of silver alloy. 